Kaoru Mitoma

[Mainoldo]

He’s a bit of a feather weight to make it at the top level yet. While his dribbling is great, he’s not really explosive with it, there’s a lot of shuffling and quick feet but nothing like prime Ronaldo or anything who would turn people inside out with the sheer pace of his step overs. Seemed like he faded out of the game once he was doubled up on and given some rough treatment.

Think he’ll probably have a better season next year once he gets used to the league more.

Agreed. Not very explosive but very talented.

 

[Crimson King]

He’s a bit of a feather weight to make it at the top level yet. While his dribbling is great, he’s not really explosive with it, there’s a lot of shuffling and quick feet but nothing like prime Ronaldo or anything who would turn people inside out with the sheer pace of his step overs. Seemed like he faded out of the game once he was doubled up on and given some rough treatment.

Think he’ll probably have a better season next year once he gets used to the league more.

Or he won't be such a surprise package anymore and teams will set up to better nullify him. Will be interesting to see what happens and how good he really is.

 

[flappyjay]

Which one has a champions league goal against Juventus, it’s easy to forget Amad is still only 20 and has 12 goals this season for a mid table team, shown character to be one of their leaders, at 20 March had just left Lewes in the Ismian League to join Brighton and spent 4 years in the championship, Amad will spend 2 at most.

Brighton only came up 4/5 years ago and he’s been very good this season but this is his peak at 28/29, his absolute best and yet he still not making an England Squad why ?
If we put this Seasons Amad in United and gave him some of all of Elanga’s minutes , sone of Antony and a lot of Sancho’s, I’m convinced we see similar 6 goals and 7 assists which March has this season.

12 goals for a midtable team in the championship not the Premier league. Good mentioning Sancho by the way he is proof that hold back the hype until you see him do it in a red shirt. You really don't know how Amad would perform for us this season. This type of hype is how some of you end up(not necessarily you) chastising young players when they don't perform in their 1st few performances. Reign it in, he has done well but let's get not carried away. There is no evidence that he is better than current March.

 

[Ekeke]

I don’t think Mitoma had his best game today, he lost possession frequently and got zero change out of Wan-Bissaka, who was superb. Felt he was fortunate to stay on the pitch with his late challenge on the keeper - both incidents were from overrunning the ball when dribbling - which is his usually his raison d’être.

That said, he is an outstanding footballer and currently said to be in contract talks over an extension and significant pay rise - but even without this, he will be comfortably in the £60m+ bracket.

Without a takeover from an incredibly wealthy owner, I fail to see how your club could afford every player linked (however tangentially) to you.

Caicedo (£75m-£105m), Mac Allister (£60m+), Mitoma (£60m+) and Ferguson (who knows!) would be an astronomical outlay for a club which is over £600m in structured debt at the time of writing.

I realise nobody is seriously suggesting this of course, but there needs to be realism about which players are realistic transfers for the fees required.

I think Mitoma was still your most dangerous player, especially after an hour or so. While most were tiring he was starting to make more things happen. And if he could have had a better touch when he went through on goal, then he'd have knocked that one in and would have had a fine performance especially given how tough AWB makes it.

As for your estimations for valuations... Get top 4 and you can justify saying your team has that many £40 million+ players with bargaining power to keep them. Finish 5th behind Spurs for example and I dont think so at all. Theres also other high performers like March. The 5th best team in the league doesnt have half a team of £40 million+ players

 

[Di Maria's angel]

I don’t think Mitoma had his best game today, he lost possession frequently and got zero change out of Wan-Bissaka, who was superb. Felt he was fortunate to stay on the pitch with his late challenge on the keeper - both incidents were from overrunning the ball when dribbling - which is his usually his raison d’être.

That said, he is an outstanding footballer and currently said to be in contract talks over an extension and significant pay rise - but even without this, he will be comfortably in the £60m+ bracket.

Without a takeover from an incredibly wealthy owner, I fail to see how your club could afford every player linked (however tangentially) to you.

Caicedo (£75m-£105m), Mac Allister (£60m+), Mitoma (£60m+) and Ferguson (who knows!) would be an astronomical outlay for a club which is over £600m in structured debt at the time of writing.

I realise nobody is seriously suggesting this of course, but there needs to be realism about which players are realistic transfers for the fees required.

These numbers are ridiculous considering these players have achieved absolutely nothing at club level (Of course, the Scotsman has won the WC with Argentina).

 

[Donut]

What’s with that mouthguard? Is he a bit of a softie? His style of dribbling reminds me of Martinelli.

 

[AshamanKingpin]

I felt like Brighton didn’t play through him enough. Not everything came off for him but still felt that quite a few of their best moves involved him.

 

[Mike Smalling]

Thought he was pretty anonymous yesterday.

 

[Woziak]

12 goals for a midtable team in the championship not the Premier league. Good mentioning Sancho by the way he is proof that hold back the hype until you see him do it in a red shirt. You really don't know how Amad would perform for us this season. This type of hype is how some of you end up(not necessarily you) chastising young players when they don't perform in their 1st few performances. Reign it in, he has done well but let's get not carried away. There is no evidence that he is better than current March.

Ok I’m not hyping him, he still has much to learn but Man United wouldn’t be dropping €40m on Solly March when he was 18/19 playing Ismian league football would they?

English players are hugely overrated including Jadon and Dialo started off at Atlanta Academy, he has a more all round football education already than Solly March whose played Ismian league, championship and PL, Dialo has been schooled in Italy, had a season with Ole, failed in Scotland and now picked himself back up.

United need a squad of 26/27 players in this new modern game like ETH said 2 players for every position plus allowance for 3 or 4 injuries.
We will need 8 squad payers next year for 3/4 attacking positions especially carrying Martial and Sancho. Dialo will be understudy to Antony. We need to buy a CF , added to Rashford, Bruno, Garnaucho, Martial, Sancho and give the kid a chance as we only have money for a new CF and Greenwood will probably be sold. I think we can assume Elanga will be sold or loaned with pellistri loaned out as well.

 

[Bojan Djordjic]

I'd like us to buy this fella. We'd be a bit inundated on the left side, but if we buy a new striker, Rashford could be backup there, while rotating with Mitoma on the left most of the time. Would mean Rashford can actually rest when he needs it and I think proper competition would be good for him.

Can't see it happening with Sancho being in the mix, but that he's still to prove himself means we may end up going a whole nother season with the same rollercoaster of woeful to half decent performances from him.

We have Sancho and Garnacho as back up. Even Martial - as its doubtful we'll be rid of him and we're sure to reinforce our forward options. Would be a mad way to spend our presumably limited funds.

 

[Bojan Djordjic]

Thought he was pretty anonymous yesterday.

AWB needs improvements in almost every facet of his game and I'm one of his biggest critics but if his job is to nullify you, you're not going to have a good day. He's about the best player on earth at 1v1 defending and we've seen him put the likes of Neymar and prime Sterling (multiple times) in his pocket in recent years. No knock on Mitoma to have a bad day against him.

 

[UTAretro]

These numbers are ridiculous considering these players have achieved absolutely nothing at club level (Of course, the Scotsman has won the WC with Argentina).

Once again, the club’s official position is not to sell - “not for sale” is the policy. If and when offers are made, the club is in a position of strength negotiating a fee due to their management of contracts and absence of clauses limiting a player’s value.

In the last few seasons, reputation has taken a backseat to ability using statistical analysis in elite football, especially when it comes to valuation of players. A player can no longer have a few seasons with a top club and immediately be highly valued just because he has played for them.

Previously, when other clubs were poorer thanks to less investment from owners and far lower television money, big clubs could take quality assets from smaller clubs (let’s say Van Dijk, Mane from Southampton) and increase their value by reputation. Nowadays, the biggest clubs are forced to pay far more for good acquisitions, because smaller clubs have money too and can afford to turn down offers which don’t meet their valuation.

On every forum of the biggest clubs, there are always people who are a few years behind the current trends (I’m not suggesting you are personally) and are astonished when it clicks that times have changed.

I think all of my estimates at prices are accurate. Who would’ve thought Ben White, with one year’s top level experience would go for £50m, or Cucurella with one year’s PL experience would go for £63m? Neither had “achieved anything” and weren’t internationals even.

Brighton have already rejected £75m for Caicedo as I’ve stated numerous times, he has since signed a new contract until 2027, why would his price have fallen?

Brighton have Mac Allister who signed a new contract just before the World Cup until 2025, with a year’s extension option. He has just played a key role in winning the World Cup. Why would he be any less than the figure I quoted?

I know the fees seem outrageous because it’s “just Brighton”, but some fans need to look past that, because wishful thinking isn’t going to cut a player’s value in half under Tony Bloom’s leadership.

 

[VeevaVee]

We have Sancho and Garnacho as back up. Even Martial as its doubtful we'll be rid of him and we're sure to refinforce our forward options. Would be a mad way to spend our presumably limited funds.

True with Garnacho. Sancho is realistically a reason we won’t but potentially to our detriment.

 

[Lux Thunder]

Once again, the club’s official position is not to sell - “not for sale” is the policy. If and when offers are made, the club is in a position of strength negotiating a fee due to their management of contracts and absence of clauses limiting a player’s value.

In the last few seasons, reputation has taken a backseat to ability using statistical analysis in elite football, especially when it comes to valuation of players. A player can no longer have a few seasons with a top club and immediately be highly valued just because he has played for them.

Previously, when other clubs were poorer thanks to less investment from owners and far lower television money, big clubs could take quality assets from smaller clubs (let’s say Van Dijk, Mane from Southampton) and increase their value by reputation. Nowadays, the biggest clubs are forced to pay far more for good acquisitions, because smaller clubs have money too and can afford to turn down offers which don’t meet their valuation.

On every forum of the biggest clubs, there are always people who are a few years behind the current trends (I’m not suggesting you are personally) and are astonished when it clicks that times have changed.

I think all of my estimates at prices are accurate. Who would’ve thought Ben White, with one year’s top level experience would go for £50m, or Cucurella with one year’s PL experience would go for £63m? Neither had “achieved anything” and weren’t internationals even.

Brighton have already rejected £75m for Caicedo as I’ve stated numerous times, he has since signed a new contract until 2027, why would his price have fallen?

Brighton have Mac Allister who signed a new contract just before the World Cup until 2025, with a year’s extension option. He has just played a key role in winning the World Cup. Why would he be any less than the figure I quoted?

I know the fees seem outrageous because it’s “just Brighton”, but some fans need to look past that, because wishful thinking isn’t going to cut a player’s value in half under Tony Bloom’s leadership.

Agree with everything you wrote, some people simply live in the past, these days where Top(big) 4 teams would bully other teams in the league are long gone. Even that term Top(big) 4 vanished with time.

Today, every club in the top flight has the financial muscle to reject offers if they are under their valuation of the player and, of course, if player is not desperate to move.

Almost every good first-team player in the league with a solid contract situation will cost £45-50m minimum in this market, especially if club is doing well at the moment.

 

[Donut]

I agree Brighton don’t need to sell, but with how the things went down in January I’d be very surprised if they don’t have some kind of gentlemen agreement with Caicedo. He was hell bent on leaving and then just signed a new contract and that’s it? I don’t think so, he’s leaving in the summer, for a big fee sure (but not world record like, probably less than 100 million).

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

No serious person can desire United to add another left winger with Rashford and Garnacho on the books. Sancho too. Whether the player is as good as this guy has been. Or at a Leao level

 

[lsd]

I do like him and can't judge him on facing Wan Bissaka.

He is really talented, hard working and well worth a look for a potential move

 

[golden_blunder]

Once again, the club’s official position is not to sell - “not for sale” is the policy. If and when offers are made, the club is in a position of strength negotiating a fee due to their management of contracts and absence of clauses limiting a player’s value.

In the last few seasons, reputation has taken a backseat to ability using statistical analysis in elite football, especially when it comes to valuation of players. A player can no longer have a few seasons with a top club and immediately be highly valued just because he has played for them.

Previously, when other clubs were poorer thanks to less investment from owners and far lower television money, big clubs could take quality assets from smaller clubs (let’s say Van Dijk, Mane from Southampton) and increase their value by reputation. Nowadays, the biggest clubs are forced to pay far more for good acquisitions, because smaller clubs have money too and can afford to turn down offers which don’t meet their valuation.

On every forum of the biggest clubs, there are always people who are a few years behind the current trends (I’m not suggesting you are personally) and are astonished when it clicks that times have changed.

I think all of my estimates at prices are accurate. Who would’ve thought Ben White, with one year’s top level experience would go for £50m, or Cucurella with one year’s PL experience would go for £63m? Neither had “achieved anything” and weren’t internationals even.

Brighton have already rejected £75m for Caicedo as I’ve stated numerous times, he has since signed a new contract until 2027, why would his price have fallen?

Brighton have Mac Allister who signed a new contract just before the World Cup until 2025, with a year’s extension option. He has just played a key role in winning the World Cup. Why would he be any less than the figure I quoted?

I know the fees seem outrageous because it’s “just Brighton”, but some fans need to look past that, because wishful thinking isn’t going to cut a player’s value in half under Tony Bloom’s leadership.

Correct. Long gone are the days when 40m wound buy you a decent player. All the Brighton players are going to cost 60-100m each (depending on the player)

 

[Scandi Red]

Caicedo, Mac Allister and Ferguson are good players and they are younger, but Mitoma is the real star of that Brighton team.

 

[izec]

Fantastic goal

 

[klayton88]

He's ridiculous.

 

[croadyman]

The Caicedo saga of next summer?

 

[RDCR07]

They will ask £80-100m for him next summer.

 

[Mickeza]

Only the two years left on his deal isn’t there?

 

[DJ_21]

We won’t be in for him. We’ve got LW stacked. We need a RW to kick Antony up the backside.

 

[Orton]

They will ask £80-100m for him next summer.

More in the current climate.

 

[Dannn411]

They will ask £80-100m for him next summer.

Miracle if they ask that. More like £130m starting offer. That's what we need to start doing. Prioritize our scouting and spread our tentacles far and wide and actually give the players recommended by the scouting department a chance.

 

[Chief123]

I thought this was an interesting segment in the sky sports article.

It is often said about the best dribblers that they appear to move quicker with the ball than without it. That is undoubtedly true of Mitoma but it seems that the Japan international has a scientific appreciation of what others may have understood only intuitively.

By keeping his foot straighter as he nudges it past an opponent, he remains in a sprinting position. If he looked to control the ball with the inside of his foot instead, this would require a twisting of the hips and make it more difficult for him to accelerate promptly.

The effect is stunning. That Mitoma actually understands the logic behind his own brilliance somehow makes it even more impressive

This video illustrates it.

https://youtube.com/shorts/U6N43HsEM1o?feature=share

 

[Shakesy]

Miracle if they ask that. More like £130m starting offer. That's what we need to start doing. Prioritize our scouting and spread our tentacles far and wide and actually give the players recommended by the scouting department a chance.

It's beneath us to scout

 

[Redstain]

Miracle if they ask that. More like £130m starting offer. That's what we need to start doing. Prioritize our scouting and spread our tentacles far and wide and actually give the players recommended by the scouting department a chance.

It was assumed that this would be the direction the club were heading in prior to ETH's arrival. It's failed to materialise in the three windows since but Hojlund could be a benefit of the new approach.

This is why I personally have been disappointed with the links to players like Pavard, Rabiot, Veratti, Amrabat etc I'd like the club to take a chance on some of these younger players with some equilibrium in the mix with older seniors.

 

[mitchmouse]

I wouldn't be at all surprised if this is the first guy we're linked to 10 minutes after a new owner comes in... if he's having a good season, a huge bid wouldn't be completely crazy in January

 

[LuckyScout78]

I think it is just a matter of time he will join the biggest clubs in Europe.

A winger and wide player with really high and good end product ability = really high potential goalscorer

 

[Unam333]

I wouldn't be at all surprised if this is the first guy we're linked to 10 minutes after a new owner comes in... if he's having a good season, a huge bid wouldn't be completely crazy in January

Please yes! He's an amazing player and dribbler.

 

[Hernandez - BFA]

He's probably quite unfortunate that clubs have their left midfield starter sorted.
Arsenal - Martinelli
City - Grealish/Foden
Liverpool - Gakpo/Nunez
United - Rashford/Garancho
Chelsea - Splashed too much on Mydruk, but I suppose that wouldn't stop them.
Tottenham - Son

I'd love to see him in an United shirt - extremely exciting, but unless Rashford leaves I can't see us justifying paying >£80m for him when we have Rashford and Garnacho there.

 

[tentan]

He's probably quite unfortunate that clubs have their left midfield starter sorted.
Arsenal - Martinelli
City - Grealish/Foden
Liverpool - Gakpo/Nunez
United - Rashford/Garancho
Chelsea - Splashed too much on Mydruk, but I suppose that wouldn't stop them.
Tottenham - Son

I'd love to see him in an United shirt - extremely exciting, but unless Rashford leaves I can't see us justifying paying >£80m for him when we have Rashford and Garnacho there.

PSG/Milan/Barca should be looking at him.

But as a United fan I would swap Rashford for him in a heartbeat.

 

[RDCR07]

PSG/Milan/Barca should be looking at him.

But as a United fan I would swap Rashford for him in a heartbeat.

The state of the forum these days!

 

[marktan]

He's probably quite unfortunate that clubs have their left midfield starter sorted.
Arsenal - Martinelli
City - Grealish/Foden
Liverpool - Gakpo/Nunez
United - Rashford/Garancho
Chelsea - Splashed too much on Mydruk, but I suppose that wouldn't stop them.
Tottenham - Son

I'd love to see him in an United shirt - extremely exciting, but unless Rashford leaves I can't see us justifying paying >£80m for him when we have Rashford and Garnacho there.

There's certainly a lack of left footed RWs than there are Lws. Bale, Messi, Robben all leaving the top teams and pretty much none of them have replaced them with similar quality left footers. Saka and Salah are the best two I can think of.

Kvara is another one similar in style to Mitoma that will probably end up at a good team in a few years.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

The state of the forum these days!

Because someone would prefer him to Rashford? He’s a superb footballer. Doesn’t have the end product Rashford does but his general quality on the ball is significantly higher.

 

[zaafi]

The state of the forum these days!

What? He is a better player than Rashford, although Rashford is the better goal scorer.

 

[Sky1981]

What's the point of sending scouts to watch EPL players? They're there for everyone with a season pass in cable TV to see.

By the time they made it to clubs like Brighton you should have known roughly 80% about them as potential opponent.

You send scouts to find 16-18 years old playing some dodgy matches in a poor league to scout.